Jeremiah 48

Against Moab, thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Wo unto Nebo Moab was a large Countrey and had many Cities, we shall have diverse of them named in this Chapter, the first that we read of it in Holy Writ is, N mb. 32.3, 38. Reuben built both that and Kiriathaim as may be read there, ver. 38, 39. it was also the name of a mountain Deut. 34.1. it should seem that in Ieremiahs time, the Moabites had got both the possession of Nebo, and Kiriathaim and Misgab of which we read no more in Scripture it seems to be a City built upon some Hill or High place, the Prophet threatneth ruine to all these three Cities., for it is spoiled: Kiriathaim is confounded, and taken, Misgab is confounded and dismayed.

There shall be no more praise of Moab: In Heshbon they have devised evil against it Heshbon was formerly the City of Sihon, Numb. 21.26. it became afterward one of the principal Cities of the Moabites, as appeareth from Isa. 15.4. which maketh the learned Author of our English Annotations think our Translation not so good, for why should they devise evil in Heshbon against Moab, unless the Enemies sate there in Counsel, when they had taken it, against the other parts of the Country? but possibly the sense is, they shall no more in Heshbon magnifie Moab, or Moab shall no more glory of Heshbon for the Enemies had contrived the ruine of it.; Come, and let us cut it off from being a nation c; Also thou shalt be cut down, O Madmen, the sword shall pursue thee Mad-men was another City in the Country of Moab. Some think the same with Ptolomies Madiama. To that City also the Prophet threatneth ruine, and destruction by the Sword..

A voice of crying shall be from Horonaim Another City of Moab, mentioned only in this place, and in Isa. 15.5. Some think it the same with Horon, where Sanballat was born, Neb. 2.10. and 13.28. The Prophet threatens also ruine and destruction to this City., spoiling and great destruction.

Moab is destroyed, her little ones have caused a cry to be heard Moab was both the name of the whole Country, and of a principal City in it. Some by it here understand the City; by her little ones, some understand little children; others, inferior Magistrates, or the common people..

For in the going up of Luhith, continual weeping shall go up; for in the going down of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction Of Luhith we read only in this place, and Isa. 15.5. It was a City of Moab and scituated upon an Hill, as appears both here and where it is mentioned in Isaiah, some think that to this City the Moabites fled for Sanctuary from the Chaldeans, and flying made so great an outcry that their Enemies who pursued them heard their cry..

Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness It is of no great moment whether we understand these as the words of the Moabites calling one to another to flee, and save their lives, though they lost all they had, and left themselves as bare as a naked tree, or as the words of the Prophet, speaking to the Moabites to the same sense..

¶ For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou shalt also be taken Whether by workes in this place be meant their riches got by the labour of their hands; or their Idols which often are called by way of Defamation, the works of their own hands, or their fortifications is not much considerable, a confidence in Creatures opposed to a confidence in God is doubtless the sin here intended, what ever the ground of it was, whether their Idols, or Riches or fortified places., and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his princes together Chemosh was their principal Idol as appears by Num. 21.29. Iud. 11.24. 1 King. 11.7.33. 2 King. 23.13. God shows them the vanity of this Idolatry, by telling them, that this Idol should go into Captivity, and be so far from being able to protect them, that he should not be able to protect himself or his own Priests, or the Princes that favoured him..

And the spoiler shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape: the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed, as the LORD has spoken That is all the parts of the Country of Moab, and all the Cities as well those that stood upon Hills, and mountainous places, as those that stood in Valleys, because or for the Lord had said it, (for so the particle we translate as is better translated.).

Give wings unto Moab, that it may flee, and get away That is, the Moabites had need of wings like a Bird to escape that ruine which is coming upon them.: for the cities thereof shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein Yea, if they had wings they should not escape, for the Lord is resolved that the Cities of Moab shall be all brought to desolation, so as no inhabitants shall be left in them..

Cursed be he that does the work of the LORD deceitfully These words seem like the words of the Prophet to the Chaldeans, inciting them to go on valiantly against the Moabites, calling it the work of the Lord, which he would have done, and to which he had called them., and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood There is a time to withhold our hands from shedding blood, and that is always when we have not a special Authority, and call from God to it; and there is a time when God will curse those that do so withhold their hands, that time is, when God does require the shedding of it..

¶ Moab has been at ease from his youth The Moabites ever since they began to be a people, have been a quiet people, not exercised with Wars, and Enemies making inroads upon them., and he has settled on his lees Like to a cask of Wine, that has not been Rack'd, but has continued in the same state., and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither has he gone into captivity He follows the metaphor of Wine which is drawn out from Vessel to Vessel, when it is drawn off the Lees, it is expounded by the next words neither has he gone into Captivity.: therefore his taste remained in him, and his sent is not changed And this is the reason why they retain their old sins, Pride, Presumption, Luxury, and old wickednesses, as Wine while it remaineth in the Lees retains more its nature, strength, and colour, then when it is once rackt..

Therefore behold, the days come, says the LORD, that I will send unto him wanderers, that shall cause him to wander By the wanderers here mentioned, the Chaldeans are most certainly understood, who wandered from their own country to conquer other people, the word is variously translated, Vagrants, Travellers, Removers, &c. who shall conquer the Moabites, and carry them into captivity., and shall empty his vessels, and break his bottles He had before compared the Moabites, to Wine settled upon the Lees, here he says, that God would send those that should not only disturb and ro l them, but ruine and destroy them..

And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh It is a natural, or a penal shame which is here spoken of, we are naturally ashamed when we have reposed a great confidence in, and made great boasts of a thing, which when it comes to be tried, proveth of no use, but mischievous to us. Chemosh was their great Idol, in which the Moabites had great confidence, and of which they boasted, the Prophet tells them they should be ashamed of this Idol, or for this Idol;, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel their confidence as the Israelites, that is the Ten Tribes were ashamed of, or for the golden Calves, which Ieroboam set up at Dan and Bethel, which were the cause of ruine to those Tribes. Confidences in any thing but in God alone in a time of danger will bring both natural and penal shame..

¶ How say ye, We are mighty and strong men for the war How can ye justifie what you say, or why say you so, or to what purpose do you brag of your valour..

Moab is spoiled Your Country will be wasted, and spoiled., and gone up out of her cities The Inhabitants of it shall be all driven out of their Cities. The Heb. is and her cities, it or he is gone up. So the sense may be Moab and her Cities are all spoiled, and he (that is) the Enemy is gone up., and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter And the strong, and mighty men she boasted of, and gloried in, are gone to the Battel, as oxen or sheep to a slaughter-house., says the king whose name is the LORD of hosts I do not speak this of my self, I cannot of my self tell things that shall come to pass hereafter, but the words I say are the words of him who is the Lord of all the Armies of Heaven and Earth, who both knoweth what shall be, and is able to effect what he says..

The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hasteth fast Iosephus tells us this destruction came upon the Moabites five years after the siege of Ierusalem, but if it were longer we must consider that he who speaketh is that God to whom a thousand years is but as one day..

All ye that are about him bemoan him, The Prophet having spoken of Moabs calamity, as already come upon her, or at least very near, calls to her Friends to come and condole with her, as is usually done in case of some calamity befallen to a friend., and all ye that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod All ye that know how terrible Moab has been to others and how famous for mighty and strong men. Say, how is this potent Nation, and this People that has been such a Rod against others, or has ruled over so many others, broken; for both a Staff and a rod are as well Ensigns of Power and Government, as instruments to punish offenders..

Thou daughter that dost inhabit Dibon, come down from thy glory Of this Dibon we read, Num. 21.30. It was a land for cattle, Num. 32.3. both Dibon and Aroer, and Ataroh were built by the children of Gad to whose lot it fell, ver. 34. as also to the Reubenites in part, Iosh. 13.17. It should seem that the Moabites were now come into the possession of it, either by conquest, or upon the Assyrians taking the Ten Tribes., and sit in thirst It was a place well watered (otherwise it had not been fit for Cattel) God threatneth that she should be in thirst, that is driven into some dry, barren Countries.: for the spoiler of Moab shall come upon thee For the King of Babylon whom God had appointed to spoil all Moab, shall destroy thee also, and thy strong holds shall not secure thee., and he shall destroy thy strong holds.

O inhabitant of Aroer Aroer was a City in the Lot of Gad and Reuben, Num. 32.34. In Davids time it was in the hand of the Iews, 1 Sam. 30.23. but in Isaiahs time, it belonged to Syria, Isa. 17.2. and here it is reckoned to the Moabites., stand by the way and espy, ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth, and say, What is done The Inhabitants of it, are call'd to stand by the way, and seeing the Moabites flying, to ask what News? Others think that Aroer was at this time a City of the Ammonites; and here called unto to see their Neighbours the Moabites fleeing before their Enemies.?

Moab is confounded, for it is broken down: howl and cry, tell ye it in Arnon, that Moab is spoiled Arnon was the name of a River, Num. 21.14 Deut. 2.36. Ios. 12.1. It was the border of Moab whither Balak went to meet Balaam, Num. 22.36. probably the adjacent Country or City might take its name from the River..

And judgment is come upon the plain country; upon Holon, and upon Jahazah, and upon Mephaath.

And upon Dibon, and upon Nebo, and upon Beth-diblathaim.

And upon Kiriathaim, and upon Beth-gamul, and upon Beth-meon.

And upon Kerioth, and upon Bozrah, and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near God threatneth Vengeance to come upon all Moab, which had great plains, Num. 31.12. and 33.48. For the names of these Cities, and those mentioned ver. 22, 23, 24. Some of them we read of in other places of Holy Writ. Others we read not of neither is it material for us to know their situation, they are not at this day to be known by their old names, they are all here mentioned as Cities at this time belonging to the Moabites, to whom this Vengeance is threatned, and not to them only, but to all other Cities of the Land of Moab wherever situate..

The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, says the LORD That is the beauty and the strength of Moab. So these two termes often signifie in Holy Writ, the horn being much the Beauty of some Beasts, and that part of their Bodies by which they both do injury to others, and defend themselves from the assaults of others. God here declares, that Moab should both lose its glory and beauty, and also all the power it formerly had to defend it self, or offend others..

Make ye him drunken Either make ye her to stagger like a drunken man (the cause being put for the effect) or fill her with the intoxicating Wine Cup of Gods vengeance, with the effects of Gods wrath.: for he magnified himself against the LORD Because of her Pride, and exalting her self against the Lord, as if she had been stronger than he and so out of the reach of Gods power.: Moab also shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision As drunken men vomit, and stagger, and fall, and wallow in their vomit, so let the Moabites fall by the sword, wallow in their blood, and like drunken men be mockt at, and had in derision by all those who see what their Vaunts come to, and what Vengeance they have pulled upon themselves..

For was not Israel a derision to thee It is an ill thing to mock at the miseries of others especially such as we have some relation to, the Moabites were descended from Lot who was nearly related to Abraham the father of the Iews, and ought not to have mocked at them, but to have pitied their neighbours and kindred, they either mocked at the ten Tribes when they were carried into Captivity by Salmanasar or at Iudah captivated by the King of Babylon. God threatneth the Ammonites, Ezek. 25.6. and the Edomites by Obadiah for the same misdemeanour.? was he found among thieves Why didst thou deal by Israel as men deal by thieves, when they are brought to shame? ought not he to have been by thee accounted in a better rank then that of thieves?? for since thou spakest of him, thou skippedst for joy Instead of compassionating the Iews in their Calamity, thou never spakest of them but with joy and triumph. Others make a quite other sense, viz. For those words against him, thou thy self shalt wander. But the learned Author of the English Annotations observes well, that the word in the form here used will not so well bear it, though the Verb does in its primary sense signifie to wander..

O ye that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock Still the Prophet speaks of the Moabites, as a people whose Armies were routed and calls to them to leave their houses in Cities, not promising themselves any security, either to or from their houses, or from the Walls of their Cities, but to get them to Rocks, which are naturally fortified and from whence (if from any place) security might be promised., and be like the dove that maketh her nests in the sides of the holes mouth And he commends to them the natural sagacity of a Dove, which being a feeble Creature, and not able to incounter an Hawk or Eagle, makes her self a nest in the sides of some rock where she may be at safety..

We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud) his loftiness and his arrogancy, and his Pride, and the haughtiness of his heart There is a passage, Isa. 16.6. &c. concerning Moab, very little differing from this, Isaiah lived some years before this Prophet who yet complaineth of them for the same sins, so as they were not at all reformed. God says he had heard of their Pride and Arrogancy; a Vice which commonly attendeth ease and prosperity, and is exceeding odious in the sight of God, so as a wicked man is often in Scripture set out under the notion of a proud man..

I know his wrath, says the LORD I know his Rage, either against Israel or other people,, but it shall not be so but he shall never execute it, or bring to pass what he thinks to do., his lies shall not so effect it There is no trusting to what he says, his boastings and his confidence are but lies, and shall never effect his designs..

Therefore will I howl for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab, mine heart shall mourn for the men of Kir-herez Though wicked men rejoyce, and Triumph in the ruine of good men, yet their Charity suffereth them not to do the like, but ingageth them to mourn for them in the day of their Affliction. Ieremy declareth his compassion toward these Moabites, tho' they derided the Iews when they were carried into Captivity. Nay he mourns upon the prospect of their Misery at some distance when the sight of the Iews present Calamity would not affect the Moabites with any compassion at all, we find the like compassion in another Prophet Isaiah, chap. 16.11. ver. 7. there it is called Kir-haraseth, which was a City of Moab as we read, 2 King 3.25..

O vine of Sibmah We read of this Vine of Sibmah also Isa. 16.8, 9. both Si mah, and Iahaza were places in the portion of Reuben, Ios. 13.18, 19. Sibmah was doubtless a place famous in those days for Vines, and Vineyards., I will weep for thee with the weeping of Jazer This Iahaza or Iazer was as it should seem first taken, and carried into captivity, which caused a great Lamentation. The Prophet foretells such a weeping for Sibmah, as was for Iazer.; thy plants are gone over the sea By plants he means the Inhabitants of Sibmah, which he prophesieth should be carried into captivity over the dead Sea., they reach even to the sea of Jazer As an Aggravation of the Judgment that should come upon them, God by his Prophets tell them that the spoiler should come upon them in their Vintage and harvest time., the spoiler is faln upon thy summer fruits, and upon thy vintage.

And joy and gladness, is taken from the plentiful field, and from the land of Moab, and I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses, none shall tread with shouting, their shouting shall be no shouting The time of Harvest and Vintage being times when the Husbandmen were wont to reap the fruit of all their labours the preceding year, were times of great joy ordinarily, but the Prophet foretells them of a year when there should be no such rejoycing, for they should have no wine from the Winepresses, there should be no shouting as used to be in the time of Harvest and of Vintage..

From the cry of Heshbon even unto Elealeh, and even unto Jahaz have they uttered their voice, from Zoar even unto Horonaim, as an heifer of three years old c: for the waters also of Nimrim shall be desolate Heshbon, and Eleal h, and Iahaz, and Zoar, and Horonaim; were all Cities of Moab who are here all threatned with ruine; with the Country about Nimrim, which Nimrim is mentioned no where in Scripture, but here, and in Isa. 15.6. nor are interpreters well agreed, whether in this place it be the name of a River, or a Lake, or a City. The sense is, the whole country of Moab shall be destroyed, the Cry shall reach from one part of the country to another, either the cry of the inhabitants, or of their Enemies pursuing them with a great noise..

Moreover, I will cause to cease in Moab, says the LORD, him that offereth in the high places, and him that burneth incense to his gods That is every one or some of all orders, (for he Moabites generally were Idolaters) though the expressing it under this notion may hint to us also one great cause of this Judgments coming upon them, viz. their Idolatry..

Therefore mine heart shall sound for Moab like pipes, and mine heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kir-heres: because the riches that he has gotten are perished The Prophet means such Pipes as they were wont to use at Funerals, and other sad occasions to play doleful Lessons upon. See Isa. 15.5. because of the great change in the state of this poor people, which had got together a great deal of wealth which is all perished..

For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipt: upon all the hands shall be cuttings, and upon the loyns sackcloth These Phrases are expounded in the beginning of the following verse, There shall be Lamentations generally upon all the house-tops of Moab. Shaving of the hair, and clipping the beards, and cutting themselves were Rites and Ceremonies of Mourning used by these Heathens..

There shall be lamentation generally upon all the house-tops of Moab, and in the streets thereof: for I have broken Moab like a vessel, wherein is no pleasure, says the LORD We met with the same phrase applied to Coniah, chap. 22.27. The meaning is, I have broken Moab all in pieces, as people use to do vessels they care not for, they never go about to mend such a vessel, but dash it in pieces against some stones or walls..

They shall howl, saying, How is it broken down? how has Moab turned the back with shame Those that formerly lived in Moab when it was in its glory shall lament to see how the case is altered with it, that all its glory is broken down, and they that were wont to conquer their Enemies, turn their backs with shame upon their Enemies.? so shall Moab be a derision, and a dismaying to all them about him And Moab that was wont to be the praise and admiration of all people, was become an astonishment, and an object of derision and scoffing to them..

For thus says the LORD, Behold, he Nebuchadnezzar shall come upon Moab swiftly, and as an Eagle covereth the prey which he has taken with his wings, so Nebuchadnezzar, shall spread himself over Moab. shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread his wings over Moab Nebuchadnezzar shall come upon Moab swiftly, and as an Eagle covereth the prey which he has taken with his wings, so Nebuchadnezzar, shall spread himself over Moab..

Kerioth is taken, and the strong holds are surprised Whether Kerioth here be the proper name of a City, as it is ver. 24. Or an appellative Noun signifying Cities, is doubtful. The latter seems best to agree to this place, The Cities and the strong holds are all taken, and, and the mighty mens hearts in Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs though Moab has in it many mighty and valiant men, yet their hearts will be full of fear, or ready to fail them, like a womans who is in her travail and has great, and sore pains..

And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people That is for a time; see ver. 47. Or being such a people as it has been, so full of splendor and glory., because he has magnified himself against the LORD The reason given is the same with that ver. 26..

Fear, and the pit, and the snare These three words Fear, Pit, Snare, signifie no more than a variety of dangers that should be on all sides of them, so as if any escaped one danger, he should presently meet with another, for this was the time when the Lord was resolved to punish all the inhabitants of the land of Moab., shall be upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, says the LORD.

He that fleeth from the fear, shall fall into the pit, and he that getteth up out of the pit, shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon it, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, says the LORD.

They that fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon, because of the force Heshbon was a great City, and as it should seem, a place of some force, the War being in the Country, they made Heshbon the place of their Sanctuary.: but * a fire shall come forth out of Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, and shall devour the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones But the Prophet applying to the Chaldeans what was said in Moses his time. Num. 21.28. prophesieth, That Heshbon also should be destroyed and the fire should devour the crown of the head, that is the glory of the brave revelling Gallants, called in the Heb. the children of Noise..

Wo be unto thee, O Moab, the people of Chemosh perisheth, for thy sons are taken captives; and thy daughters captives The Prophet closing the threatning part of his Prophesie against Moab, repeateth the same thing, which he had often said, that the Moabites should be carried into Captivity by the King of Babylon, and denounceth a wo unto them upon that account..

¶ Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days, says the LORD Some think this Prophesie was fulfilled upon the return of the Iews out of Babylon, when the Iews inhabited the land of Moab, Zeph. 2.9. but this does not seem to be the bringing again the Captivity of Moab, but of Iudah, besides in that place it is said that Moab should be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of Nettles and Salt-pits, and a perpetual desolation. It is therefore rather to be understood of a spiritual reduction of them, by calling some of them under the Kingdom of the Messiah as the Iewish Doctors themselves interpret it. Some think this a promise rather respecting the Iews than the Moabites, it is said ver. 2.9. That the remnant of the Lords People should possess Moab, and ver. 11. that all the Isles of the heathen should worship God.. Thus far is the judgment of Moab x. These last words are doubtless to be interpreted rather as a conclusion of this Prophecy against Moab, then (as some would have it) as a limitation of the time how long this Judgment on Moab should indure, as if thus far, were as much as thus long.